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Former NSW Farmers Association president John Cobb emerged victorious from the National Party preselection bout for the seat of Parkes.

The 51-year-old farmer defeated three contenders during a secret ballot of 149 delegates at Dubbo’s Wesley Centre on Saturday.

Just moments after being told he would carry the party’s hopes into the next federal election, Mr Cobb urged voters to stick with the Nationals vowing the good times were just around the corner.

“We are so close to, I think, at least five years of good stuff,” he said.

“We cannot afford a change of government at a time like this.

“We just cannot afford to have a change of government and we won’t have a change of who’s holding this seat I can assure you of that.”

The father of seven daughters, Mr Cobb – who lives with wife Gai on a property 100 kilometres west of Condobolin – said he would base his electorate office in Dubbo and “possibly” commute home on weekends.

Last month he stepped down from the farm lobby group, after almost three years at the helm, to take a second stab at federal politics. In 1992, he lost a preselection tussle with then-member Michael Cobb (no relation) who held the seat for 12 years.

Parkes MP Tony Lawler described Saturday’s outcome as a “relief” that took him one step closer to his own political exit. He will retire after just one term.

“I’ve got no doubt John’s got the credentials and the experience and the knowledge of the electorate,” Mr Lawler said soon after the vote.

“I would have been very anxious if we didn’t have such quality candidates. So certainly, this has made my decision a lot clearer.”

Despite its National Party pedigree Mr Cobb said he had no intention of taking the “seat for granted”.

“They can choose between a local who has held a number of important leadership positions and will hit the ground running to deliver for Parkes, or an ALP candidate who will be told what to do by his union masters in Sydney and Canberra,” he said.

“What I think we’ve got to do is make sure everybody knows what the National Party has done over the past few years – it’s done an awful lot for country people.”

Among the wins, he said, was the Roads to Recovery program, protection of regional airline access to Kingsford Smith Airport, and defeating tax moves restricting the transfer of businesses and properties between generations.

Country Labor candidate Joe Knagge, on the campaign trail for the past five months, congratulated his opponent but said the decision “came as no surprise”. Both candidates have promised a campaign free from personal attacks.

The Dubbo Rhinos will be hoping to retain the form which saw them conquer the Dubbo Kangaroos last weekend when they take on the Parkes Boars in round seven of the Blowes Menswear Cup in Parkes tomorrow.

Without a win heading into the match, the Rhinos looked a different team in last Saturday’s local derby, recording just their second victory over the Kangaroos with the 23-10 scoreline.

The Rhinos appeared inspired against their more fancied counterparts and relished the result, but coach Andrew Williams was quick to point out that the win was just the first in their Central West quest.

On the road, the Rhinos will again need to lift against the Boars, who are currently third on the competition table having won four of their first six matches.

Only one change has been made to the team which defeated the Kangaroos last weekend, with Ben Mathews coming back into first grade at five-eighth, having recovered from injury.

That move has pushed Glen Gallagher to inside centre, Guy Perrin to outside centre and Jason Leach to the wing, and Ian Burns from first grade back to third grade.

The Rhinos forwards, who comprehensively outplayed the Kangaroos, are unchanged and will need to muscle up again on Saturday against the powerful Parkes pack which is not lacking in size.

Austin Whitehead, in his first match back from injury, was particularly strong against the Kangaroos and will again need to lead the forwards, while Williams will also be looking for another big game from workhorse young prop George See.

Nick Hubbard jumped well in the line-outs against the Rhinos’ Dubbo rivals and will be needed again to secure quality ball.

Dubbo Kangaroos coach Scott Vaughan is hopeful a new prop and hooker and a back row reshuffle can reverse his team’s form for when they play Orange City at No 1 Oval tomorrow.

The Kangaroos tackle the Lions in round seven of the Blowes Menswear Cup and are looking for a more committed forwards performance after last weekend’s 23-10 loss to the Dubbo Rhinos.

The Kangaroos were overpowered and out-enthused by their local rivals last weekend, the Rhinos being first to the breakdown on most occasions to secure their own possession and poach from their opponents.

Vaughan has promoted Shad Bailey from second grade to the first XV at hooker and reinstated Len Bartley at prop in an effort to inject some enthusiasm into the front row.

He has also asked Simon Aird and Phil Randell to swap positions, Randell moving to number eight and Aird into the second row. Danny Tink is unavailable and Peter Walters has taken his place at breakaway.

Peter Hyde has been rewarded for a standout performance in second grade last week, taking the number nine jumper from Luke Carney.

The Kangaroos lower grade teams will also be on show on Saturday and keen to continue their winning streaks against the lowly rated Lions.

On the back of their tireless forwards the second grade team has won its past three matches on the hop and is currently third on the competition table.

Against the Lions, who are third last, the Kangaroos will again look to their “angry eight”, who have been rated among the best-drilled forward outfits in any grade.

Under the innovative coaching methods of rugby genius Nigel Bourke, the Kangaroos third grade team has completed the first six rounds of the competition undefeated – Forbes coming closest in round three when they fell seven points short.

THE Federal Government is moving to introduce stricter regulation of reverse mortgages, an increasingly popular financial product marketed to older homeowners, because of fears that people could be exploited.

Announcing plans for national regulation of a range of financial services, the Minister for Corporate Law, Nick Sherry said he was concerned about the people taking out reverse mortgages without understanding the implications.

Reverse mortgages typically allow over-60s whose homes are unencumbered to borrow substantial amounts against the value of their property.

Repayments are deferred until they move into retirement accommodation or die, when principal and interest is typically paid out from the sale of the house.

Senator Sherry said the Australian Securities and Investments Commission had identified areas of abuse in the distribution and sale of the mortgages.

But while the products were regulated federally, mortgage brokers marketed the loans were regulated under state legislation.

Industry figures show the number of reverse mortgages grew from 15,000 in 2005 to more than 30,000 last year.

﻿COMMEMORATIONS will start today to mark the 94th anniversary of the end of World War One.﻿

Local schoolchildren will gather at the Kerang cenotaph at 10.45am today for a Remembrance Day service, which originally recognised the end of World War One but has expanded to remember the lives of those who have been killed during times of conflict.

Official proceedings will occur on Sunday at the town’s cenotaph, marking the Armistice of World War One on November 11, 1918 at 11am.

Ex-servicemen and women, as well as family members and residents, will gather at the memorial for a ceremony at 10.45am and a minute’s silence at 11am.

Proceedings will continue into the afternoon with the Kerang Golf Club Remembrance Day event.

Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter. Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter.

Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter.

Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter.

Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter.

Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter.

Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter.

Remember this? Last year’s show and shine was a hit, this year’s will be bigger and better. Visit www.navy.gov.au/albatross_show_n_shine for details on how to enter.

A dedicated defensive pattern and a touch of old-fashioned pride, is proving to be a masterstroke for CYMS following their 36-4 victory over Macquarie in the Tooheys Group 11 local derby yesterday.

Captain-coach Justin Yeo revealed afterwards his players had committed themselves to lifting in defence and in this match particularly to beating Macquarie for the first time in four attempts.

Apart from Brett Warwick’s try in the dying minutes yesterday, CYMS have kept their line safe for two matches after last week beating Cobar 26-0.

“We had a couple of weeks when there were big scores against us and that hurt a bit, so everyone set themselves to lift in defence particularly,” Yeo said.

“Pride was needed to make that happen and you can see in the past two weeks the effort has paid off . We are more dominant, the boys are just having a go, starting to talk more and pushing themselves and each other.

“It is happening at training each week and everyone is getting on well together and we take that communication into the matches.”

Macquarie went into yesterday’s match without their Country half Peter Boon who was rested, and the word was Brett Chippendale was nursing a shoulder problem.

Then during the afternoon prop Luke O’Connor was off the field for some time with a shoulder injury.

CYMS also lost their big prop Bernard Wilson in the first half with a bad injury and he didn’t take any further part in the match.

Forwards Mick Darcy and Luke Jenkins were two of the best for CYMS while the halves Marty Nelson and Ben Williams delivered good ball at every opportunity and Louie’s match at fullback was first class.

Chris Delaney was his usual cheeky best at hooker for Macquarie on a day when good players were hard to find.

CYMS were off to a dream start and had 16 points on the board before the big crowd had time to settle into their seats.

Louie was on the spot for a double, firstly after latching on to a ball that Tony Quinn failed to cover after a Marty Nelson high kick, and then when he backed up a Nathan Woodford bust to have the Raiders in trouble.

Unfortunately for Woodford he badly injured his nose in the tackle after passing the ball and played little part for the rest of the match.

Louie was again involved for CYMS’ third try after sending centre Troy Yates on a 50-metre run to the line, and with Nelson’s conversion the Fishies had all the running.

To their credit Macquarie failed to give in and actually dominated the remaining 20 minutes to half-time but couldn’t bust the strong CYMS defence.

Time and time they were close to the line but the defence was strong and effective and the Raiders were denied.

Probably the turning point for Macquarie was just before the break when John Croft was over under the posts but was called back after replacement forward Rod Wright was penalised for punching in the play-the-ball. The Raiders never recovered.

The second-half was only nine minutes old and CYMS had the match in their keeping after firstly Nelson and then Brett Patterson crosses for a 28-0 lead.

Mick Dagg and Mick Darcy added tries in the remaining 20 minutes with Warwick’s try only a consolation for the Raiders.